Container



Dec. 22, l942. R. o. NEUBECKER ETAL 2,306,343

' CONTAINER Filed Feb. 16, ,1940

Rich ard O. Neubeclser, Harold C. Satefskefi.

ATT NEYS Month R cam gbell. 7

Patented Dec. 22, 1942 UNETED srrss CONTAINER Richard O.

Salefske,

Neubeoker, Tonawanda, Harold C. North Tonawanda,

and Matthew R.

Campbell, Kenmore, N. Y., assignors to Tonawanda Corrugated B035 00.,

Wanda, N. Y.

Inc., North Tona- Applica-tion February 16, 1940, Serial No. 319,324 I 3 Claims. 229-52) The present invention relates to a receptacle or carton construction, and more particularly to articles of that class which may be formed from flat sheets and then may be readily formed into rectangular containers.

The invention contemplates a construction wherein a set of cover flaps are provided on the side members and another set of cover flaps on the end members, the flaps of one set being adapted to be folded to overlie those of the other set, whereby the construction may serve as a shipping container; and wherein the side member flaps include sections adapted to be folded to constitute a handle, whereby the construction may serve as a carrying case.

When the side member flap section are folded to constitute a handle, which may comprise four thicknesses of material, the flaps on the end members of the container interlock with each other and cooperate with the side member fiap sections to retain the latter folded in handle constituting relation. The flaps on the end members may be held down by having tongues interlocking in recesses extended from the handle opening.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of the typical embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein;

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the blank from which the construction is formed;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the construction folded as a shipping container;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the construction folded as a carrying case;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view through the upper portion of the construction when folded as shown in Fig. 3; and,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of said upper portion.

As shown in Fig, 1 the blank, cut from a sheet of corrugated paper board orfrom other suitable material, may comprise an end member ID joining a side member II along line l2, and an end member l3 joining side member II along line 14 and a side member I5 along line l5. Joined to the bottom edges I 1, I8, I9 and 2| of the respective members IO, II, l3 and I5 are bottom forming flaps 22, 23, 24 and 25, respectively.

Joined to the upper edge II] is a pair of flaps 27 at its outer margin with a tongue receiving recess 29. Complementary flaps 3| and 32, having tongues 33 on their outer edges, extend from and 28 each provided 26 of end member the upper edge 34 of end section I3. The ad- 5 jacent edges of flaps 21 and 2s and the adjacent edges of flaps 3| and 32 are provided, near the outer edges of the flaps, with tongues 35. In the adjacent edges of the flaps, near the inner edges 26 and 34 thereof, are recesses 35. Relatively short tongues 31 extendfrom theupper edges of the end members into recesses 35 between each pair of end member flaps.

Joined to the upper edges 38 and 39 of side members II and I5 are flaps 4|, each flap 4| having an inner section 42 and an outer section 43, section 42 joining the flap 4| proper along line 44, and section 43 joining section 42 along line 45. Handle forming recesses 46 are provided in each section 42 and 43, those in section 43 being adjacent the outer edges thereof and those in section 42 being adjacent the inner edges 44 thereof. At each end-ofeach recess 46 is a tongue receiving notch or recess 41,

When the structure is to be utilized as a shipping container or the like, the blank may be folded at right angles along lines I2, I4 and I 6 bringing the outer edge 5| of section I!) into ad- Jacency with outer edge 52 of section I5. These outer edges may be joined by any suitable means, such as by a strip of adhesive tape. Bottom flaps 22 and 24 may then be folded at right angles to members Ill and I3 along lines I! and I9, respectively, and then flaps 23 and 25 may be folded along lines It and 2| upon flaps 22 and 24 to form the bottom of the carton, being sealed in any suitable manner either before or after the top forming flaps are closed.

To close the top of the structure, flaps 21 and 28 and tongue 31 are folded at right angles to end section II] along line 26, and flaps 3| and 32 and tongue 37 are similarly folded down along line 34 at the upper edge of end member I3, the tongues 33 entering the recesses 29. The side member flaps 4| are then folded down along lines 38 and 39 upon the end member flaps, and sealed in any suitable manner such as by one or more strips of adhesive paper.

After the carton has been used as a shipping container, and the top flaps have been opened, they may be folded to provide a carrying handle; or, if desired, the flaps may be folded in the first instance to provide such carrying handle. To accomplish this, section 42 of each flap 4| is folded upwardly along line 44, each outer section 43 is folded down along line 45, and the side member flaps. 4| are folded down along lines 38 and 39, respectively, bringing the recesses 46 of all of the sections 42 and 43 into register, as shown in Fig. 3.

The end member flaps 27, 28, 3| and 32 are then folded down upon the side member flaps, the tongues 33 entering and interlocking within recesses 29, and portions of the tongues 35 entering and interlocking in recesses 41. The sections comprising the carrying handle are prevented from accidental spreading or unfolding by the edges of the end member flaps adjacent the recesses 36 through which the sections extend; the end member their outer edges containing the tongues 33 and tongue receiving recess 29; and the end member flaps are prevented from rising accidentaly by the engagement of tongues35 in recesses of the handle sections.

The line of fold of the seevral parts of the blank are preferably formed' corrugated board, as indicated in Figs. 4.and while the blank is being formed, or, if the blank be formed of other sheet material; by weakening the material in another suitable way, such as by scoring or perforating, along the lines upon which it is to be folded.

Since the material constituting theblankmay possess considerable thickness, depending upon the required strength of the container; and since the same flaps may be'foldeddifferently to provide a shipping containeror a carrying case, it may be necessaryto apply to the blank closely spaced, parallel fold lines. For example, in'Fig. 2 the end member flaps 21, 28, 3| and 32 are folded under flaps 4 I, whereas in Fig. 3 they are'folded over the side member flaps; Hence; when the material of the blank possesses considerable thickness, it is desirable to provide parallel or doublefold lines inplace-of the single 1ines26 and 34 shown in Fig; 1.

It will be understood that the construction shown and described'herein is merely illustrative of the several novel features involved, and that these may be otherwise embodied; either jointly or severally, without departing from the spirit'of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim? l. A construction ofthe class describedhaving side members and-end members, a pair of flaps at the upper edge of each end member, each of said flaps meeting and interlocking with the opposedflap onthe other end-member, the opposed flaps having interlocking tongues and tongue receiving recesses of complementary form for preventing separation of: the flaps in the plane thereof, a flap oneach-of said'side members, said side member flapsbeing adapted to lie one under the other and either over orunder the end member fiaps,each side member flap having an inner section adapted to be folded upwardly adjacent a line extending substantially parallel to and-between the upper edges ofsaid side members, each inner sectioncarrying an outer section adapted to be folded downwardly in adjacency to the other outer section, said inner and outer sections having handle forming openings therein withtongue flaps are held against' spreading by the abutment and interlocking of by compressing the receiving recesses in the end walls of the openings,

.said tongue receiving recesses being in the plane of said end member flaps when said inner and outer sections are folded, and tongues on the inner edges of the end member flaps entering said re cesses when the end member flaps are folded to overlie the side member flaps and said inner and outer sections thereof are folded to constitute a handle.

2. A construction of the class described having side members and end members, a pair of flaps at the upper edge of each end member, each of said flaps meeting and interlocking with the opposed flap on the other end member, the opposed flaps having interlocking tongues and tongue receiving recesses of complementary form for preventing separation of the flaps in the plane thereof, a flap on each of saidside members, said side member flaps being adapted to lie one under the other and either over or under the end member flaps, each side member flap having a section adapted to be folded upwardly adjacent a line extending substantially parallel to and between the upper edges of said side members, said sections having handle forming openings therein with tongue receiving recesses in the end walls of the openings and in the plane'of said end member flaps when said sections are folded upwardly, and tongues on the inner edges of the end member flaps entering said recesses when the end member flaps are folded to overlie the side member flaps and said sections are folded upwardly.

3. A construction of the class described having side members and end members, a pair of flaps at the upper edge of each end member, each of saidfiaps meeting and interlocking with the opposed flap on the other end member, the opposed fiaps having interlocking tongues and tongue receiving recessesof complementary form for'preventing separation of the flaps in the plane thereof, a-fiap on each of saidside members, said side member flaps being adapted to lie one under the other and either over or under the 'end member flaps, each side member flap having a section adapted to be folded upwardly adjacent a line extending substantially parallel to and between the upper edges of said sidemembers and having a handle forming opening therein with tongue receiving recesses in the end-walls of the opening and in the plane of said end member flaps when the section is folded upwardly, tongues on the inner edges of the end member flaps entering said recesses when the end member flaps are folded to overlie the side member flaps and said inner and outer sections thereof are folded to constitute a handle, and a tongue on each of said end members between the 'end member flaps and adapted to be foldeddown to underlie a portion of the side member flaps when the latter lay flat to provide a flat cover for the construction.

RICHARD O. NEUBECKER. HAROLD C. SALEFSKE. MATTHEW R. CAMPBELL. 

